Passage of the Volstead Act in 1920 expanded the mission of the U.S. Coast Guard. Law
enforcement directives required officers to use “all necessary force” should a liquor smuggling
vessel refuse the order to stop. On March 22, 1929, the Coast Guard Cutter Dexter sank the
Canadian-flagged rum runner I’m Alone in the Gulf of Mexico, triggering an international
incident that centered on “hot pursuit” and treaty jurisdiction. International encounters occurred
frequently during Prohibition. The I’m Alone incident was the first sinking of a foreign flagged
vessel that cost the life of a foreign national. The I’m Alone affair reflected the barriers any
federal law enforcement agency faced in making Prohibition effective. The rum runner captain
became a celebrity in Canada, while the Coast Guard was vilified. The Coast Guard amended
boarding procedures after the incident cautioning officers about the possibility of accidental
deaths.

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